VP of Engineering

CORE Transformers  |  On-Site  |  Seneca, SC  |  Reports to CEO

If you have spent meaningful time in the medium-voltage transformer and power systems world, can talk fluently about liquid-filled transformer design, switchgear integration, and protection schemes, and have worked on data center or large-scale construction projects, this role is worth your full attention. CORE Transformers manufactures dry-type, padmount, and substation transformers from 15 kVA to 30 MVA, up to 230 kV. We supply critical electrical infrastructure to AI-driven data centers, large-scale construction, and industrial operations nationwide. Leading hyperscalers are deploying at scale alongside top-tier electrical contractors, and CORE is earning a seat at those tables through speed, reliability, and engineering that holds up under scrutiny. We quote in minutes, ship in weeks, and our designs consistently deliver fewer field defects than major OEM competitors. An industry long controlled by incumbents who can no longer keep pace with demand is now open to a new entrant, and CORE — founded by Randall Maddox and Mitch Garland, the founders of Sunbelt Transformer and Maddox Industrial Transformers — is that entrant. We are tracking 3x annual revenue growth and building the engineering function to match it. That is where you come in.

You are joining as our first internal VP of Engineering. The role is roughly 80% forward-looking: own R&D, drive product innovation, build our standard design library, and lead the technical work that keeps CORE competitive as we expand into new segments. The other 20% is oversight: setting engineering specifications for our overseas manufacturing partners and serving as the senior technical voice our sales organization and customers' engineers rely on. Product ideas come from sales, business development, and senior leadership. Your job is to catch that vision, stress-test it technically, and turn concepts into validated, market-ready solutions. You will report directly to CEO Winston Krauss and work alongside our VP of Business Development and VP of Marketing on a tight executive team where engineering, sales, and marketing are genuinely integrated. That integration is driving our growth, and protecting it is a priority.

Your morning starts with a design review. The team has been working on a new padmount configuration that solves a recurring problem on hyperscaler data center campuses: customers keep requesting variations that differ only slightly from a standard 3000 kVA, 34.5 kV unit, driving custom orders, extended lead times, and field installation headaches. You are building a standardized design that covers the vast majority of those requests with a single configurable unit, reducing what has taken three distinct designs per campus down to one. You review the outside-the-tank spec: switchgear integration points, protection device placement, CT configurations, the accessory framework that allows field installation of components without opening the tank or drilling new penetrations. You flag two items that need resolution before the design goes to the overseas manufacturing team.

In the afternoon you jump on a call with a large data center customer. Their electrical engineer has technical questions about how the transformer integrates with their medium-voltage distribution system and wants to understand the protection scheme. You walk them through it clearly and confidently, speaking the same language they do. After the call, your VP of Business Development sends you a quick message: that conversation just moved the deal forward. You make a note to pull together a one-page technical summary for the sales team to use as a leave-behind.

You close the day reviewing a third-party test report on a new substation unit design. You are building the validation package: test results, white paper, engineering documentation. When a customer's engineer asks for proof of performance, you want to hand them something they can stake their reputation on. You draft two pages of technical content and send it to marketing to incorporate into a case study. Engineering and marketing working together on this kind of material is not an afterthought at CORE. It is part of how we earn and keep customer trust.

Every day looks a little different. What stays constant is the pace, the quality bar, and the fact that your work shows up in the field.

You have real depth in medium-voltage transformer and power systems work. You speak fluently about liquid-filled transformer design, outside-the-tank systems integration, switchgear, protection schemes, and controls architecture. Data center or large-scale construction experience matters to us: if you have worked where hyperscalers or major developers are the end customer, you know the pace and precision that comes with it. You are not looking to manage a large department. You want to be close to the work, own the technical direction, and see your decisions in the field. You communicate clearly with customer engineering teams and our sales organization would want you on the call. When you look at an industry that has done things the same way for 50 years, you see opportunity.

• Own and drive R&D initiatives: take concepts from commercial insight to validated, field-ready engineering solutions.

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• Build and maintain our standard design library for medium-voltage padmount and substation transformers, reducing custom orders and enabling faster delivery.
• Lead outside-the-tank systems integration work: switchgear coordination, protection schemes, controls architecture, monitoring systems, and accessory configurations.
• Serve as our senior technical resource for customer-facing conversations that support the sales and business development process.
• Set engineering specifications and quality guardrails for overseas manufacturing partners.
• Lead third-party testing and validation; produce white papers, engineering reviews, and validation packages for customer engineering teams.
• Partner with marketing on technical sales collateral, case studies, and spec sheets that translate engineering quality into compelling proof points.
• Support IP protection strategy in partnership with legal.
• Build the technical foundation as CORE expands into new product categories; this role can grow into broader engineering leadership as the team scales.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
• 10+ years of engineering experience in power systems, medium-voltage electrical infrastructure, or transformer applications. The right candidate has spent meaningful time in this space and can speak fluently about it.
• Strong working knowledge of outside-the-tank systems: switchgear integration, protection and controls architecture, overcurrent protection, CT configurations, monitoring systems, and transformer interfacing with upstream and downstream electrical infrastructure.
• Working knowledge of inside-the-tank transformer design: core and coil principles, winding configurations, insulation systems, and protection strategies. Enough to set specifications, validate designs, and hold an informed conversation — deep manufacturing expertise is not required.

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• Experience in data center, hyperscaler, or large-scale construction power systems.
• Experience coordinating with manufacturers or engineering partners on specifications, test results, and quality standards.
• Clear, confident communication with customer engineering teams. Our sales organization would want you on the call.
• Experience leading engineering projects through testing, validation, and customer-facing technical documentation.
• A builder's mindset. You have figured things out without a roadmap and are energized by early-stage problems.
• Willing and able to work on-site in Seneca, SC. Relocation assistance is available.

• Experience at companies in the medium-voltage transformer and electrical equipment space: GE Vernova, Schneider Electric, Vertiv, ABB, Eaton, Siemens, or similar.
• Deep inside-the-tank transformer expertise: core and coil design, winding configurations, insulation systems, and liquid-filled construction.
• Experience in an engineering consulting firm doing power system design for large construction or data center projects.
• IEEE membership or transformer/power systems standards involvement.
• Engineering management experience. We are lean today, but this role can grow.

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• Experience at a PE-backed or high-growth company where structure was still being built.
• An interesting hidden talent. We like well-rounded teams.

• Highly competitive base salary, commensurate with experience and seniority.
• Quarterly profit-share bonus paid to every employee. At our current growth trajectory, this is worth paying attention to.
• Health insurance stipend via Thatch (thatch.com) covering individual coverage at little to no out-of-pocket cost (after 90 days).
• Dental, Vision, and Life insurance available.
• 401(k) with matching: 100% on first 3%, 50% from 4-5%.
• Time off commensurate with role and seniority.
• On-site in Seneca, SC. Relocation assistance available. GE Vernova and Schneider Electric are neighbors — Upstate SC takes manufacturing seriously.

We are patient enough to find the right person, but this role needed to be filled yesterday. We typically respond within 2 to 3 business days. In the cover letter field, tell us in two to three sentences who you are, why this caught your attention, and why you are the right engineer to build this function. For serious bonus points: include the word maelstrom in your response. It is our way of knowing you read all the way to the end.